How do you set up your anchors?

dnoB ekiM wrote: Where are you buying the SS ramshorns?

I believe they are from Jim Titt, but I am not the one picking them up, so I would want to double check that. Hell probably speak up since he is right ^^^.

They take a little getting used to but I like them. I don't find them super easy to throw the rope through when pumped, so you definitely want to throw a draw on first or clip yourself in directly with a sling to make it easy.

M Sprague wrote: I believe they are from Jim Titt, but I am not the one picking them up, so I would want to double check that. Hell probably speak up since he is right ^^^. They take a little getting used to but I like them. I don't find them super easy to throw the rope through when pumped, so you definitely want to throw a draw on first or clip yourself in directly with a sling to make it easy.

They are indeed from me;- bolt-products.com/SinglePoi…

I watch people fumble with them a bit as they try to put the rope first in one side and then the other but there is a way of holding the rope and lifting the whole thing with your fingers so the rope drops in. Pull up a bight and put your fingers inside so that in the end the rope is just lying across the top of your hand, pull the pigtail out and lift your wrist and the rope drops in, practice makes perfect!

I'm primarily climbing and developing around Las Vegas, NV.; a little bit in the Southern Sierra. For years I have been placing plated gear and now I am gradually transitioning to all stainless.

Around here I have been setting up my anchors using 5/16 or 3/8 quick-links and 3 to 7 links of 3/8 Chain. Optimally the ends meet at about a 60° with maybe an inch space. If the chain gets worn it is easy to replace.

From my local suppliers the plated chain set up is less dollars than a proprietary anchor set up...Metolius, Fixe etc. 3/8 proof coil plated runs about $3.10 per foot. Links are $0.95 each. I'd prefer to keep my anchor configuration, but when I price the same set up in stainless...gulp!

Does anyone have a lowest cost source for stainless links and chain? I am seeing around $25 per foot for 3/8 chain and $2.60 for 3/8 quick links. Plus shipping.

thanks

Thanks Jim. I figured there was a trick to make it easy that I just hadn't figured out. I have only had a chance to use them a few times so far.

Thomas Beck wrote: ...and $2.60 for 3/8 quick links. Plus shipping. thanks

$2.60 for a good quality SS 3/8" quicklink is a steal.

For a non climbing specific quicklink, I don't really like to go under 3/8". I couldn't believe some of the tiny links (and only one!)that I saw people lower off in Quebec and Sardinia. They looked like something you would hold up a plant with.

M Sprague wrote: $2.60 for a good quality SS 3/8" quicklink is a steal.

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Thanks. I found them at Defender in CT.

defender.com/product3.jsp?p…

How about stainless chain?

Thomas Beck wrote: ----------------- Thanks. I found them at Defender in CT. defender.com/product3.jsp?p… How about stainless chain?

Just as an FYI, that linked quicklink isn't stainless, from the product description, "Material: Formed Mild Steel Electro-Galvanized" which means plated steel.

Besides being bored watching the stock market oscillate, I knew there was a reason I am posting here. :-)

My bad: defender.com/product3.jsp?p… at $20 each

So somebody must have sources for stainless components at less sell your first born prices ???

Thomas Beck wrote:Besides being bored watching the stock market oscillate, I knew there was a reason I am posting here. :-) So somebody must have sources for stainless components???

If you have any interest in the stock market, I don't know how you can be bored today!DJI futures were down something like 1100 points this morning. "Only" -480 atm. Luckily I went to cash (the huge amount that I have, lol) last week except for one gold mining stock which is just barely green atm, so I am OK.

but with these

Uhg on the stud bolts, though I know a lot of people like them. I do occasionally use a few Fixe SS ones on easy slabs when being a cheap bastard, but I don't like them.

M Sprague wrote: If you have any interest in the stock market, I don't know how you can be bored today!DJI futures were down something like 1100 points this morning. "Only" -480 atm.

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Laughing...As a small retail day trader, I exited all positions Friday afternoon in profit and I am flat Monday. Implied Volatility and option spreads were really large this morning. My trading platforms were hanging and crashing. I mainly directionally trade options; the QQQ and with a bigger range the SPY got range bound about 10:30 this morning but volatility is being crushed.

A little guy like me needs to stay out of the way today.
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But back to anchors...Maybe the easiest/least expensive solution (when using stainless compression bolts) is to stay with Fixe' rap rings. Generally I am placing 2 bolts about minimum 8" apart; I don't like the way they load.

I am not a big fan of mussy hooks. They seem to invite abuse IMO.

Thomas Beck wrote: But back to anchors...Maybe the easiest/least expensive solution (when using stainless compression bolts) is to stay with Fixe' rap rings

That is what I do, and wait for them to be on sale. I was getting the SS double ring on hanger set up for $7 or $7.50 each. SS quicklinks are usually insanely expensive.

I am not a big fan of the mussies either, not because they encourage abuse (they can take it), but I don't like the gates. It seems theoretically too easy for somebody to unclip the rope. That is why I like the ramshorn solution for something easy to throw the rope in but secure.

M Sprague wrote: ...It seems theoretically too easy for somebody to unclip the rope...

as long as you never climb past them they are fine and yes they take a ton of abuse.

Thomas Beck wrote:I am seeing around $25 per foot for 3/8 chain and $2.60 for 3/8 quick links. Plus shipping. thanks

off eBay. You can get grade 316 for about $10 per foot on eBay. The trick is you need to buy about $1000 worth to get that price though...

Call me old fashion but rig a TR through a single SS ring? I am all for redundancy. I hate those RRG swaged cable anchors that have only one steel ring; makes my palm real sweaty.
Mark, back in 2012, I cleaned Fire and Brimstone (an excellent .10d at RRG) and I am almost sure the weight bearing link was 1/4", altho it was backed up by a beefier link which was strictly a backup on lower. That left quite an impression!

This is my source for stainless chain. I just bought 4 ft of both the 3/8" and 5/16" and have just put a couple of hardware replacement off-set anchors in place using this chain so I can't give it any other endorsement. It's stamped 304 and isn't magnetic, that's all I can say.

http://www.e-rigging.com/three-eighths-inch-Stainless-Chain

S. Neoh wrote:Call me old fashion but rig a TR through a single SS ring? I am all for redundancy. I hate those RRG swaged cable anchors that have only one steel ring; makes my palm real sweaty. Mark, back in 2012, I cleaned Fire and Brimstone (an excellent .10d at RRG) and I am almost sure the weight bearing link was 1/4", altho it was backed up by a beefier link which was strictly a backup on lower. That left quite an impression!

+1 for redundancy. especially if you don't personally know the developer and that they do things safely. and it's not like the unthinkable never happens in climbing.

S. Neoh wrote:Call me old fashion but rig a TR through a single SS ring?

We have been using those rings for over 10 years here and none of them have ever failed, warped, corroded excessively, or otherwise showed an indication that they are not suitable for continued service. However, I agree with you to a point. I have talked with the other developer about removing the center ring all together and just running the rope through the quicklinks. I think the idea is the ring allows for less wear as it turns in use. But ultimately it's not my call as it's not my hardware. We get that stuff donated from the local climbing shop and I install it as requested. It might happen in the future, but at the moment I dont see it as much of a risk as those rings are insanely strong and they seem to hold up quite well in our environment.

Likewise, if a climber is uncomfortable using the ring, he can lead the route and run the rope directly through the quicklinks instead of the ring. That is acceptable too, and we use 3/8" links on all our anchors so there is enough room to run the rope through.

S. Neoh wrote:Call me old fashion but rig a TR through a single SS ring? I am all for redundancy.

It always weirds me out too. But remember; most SS rings are 50kN+, which means your rope/belay carabiner/belay loop (none of which are redundant) and probably the anchor bolts themselves would break before that ring would.